(Ecofin Agency) - On August 18, 2016, various non-government organizations for human rights defense, gathered for a press conference, accused the mining firm AngloGold Ashanti Goldfields Guinea (SAG in French) of land expropriation from the Siguiri prefecture, Upper Guinea. This was reported by news website Guinee58.com.

The NGOs which include Same Right for All (Mêmes Droits pour Tous, MDT) blame the local subsidiary of the miner of expropriating 377 families from the Kintinian community. Denouncing what they consider a “violation of international laws and conventions for the resettlement of expropriated populations”, they accuse SAG of not resettling the concerned populations as imposed by legal dispositions. Indeed, though it established 77 towns to this end, the firm did not settle those affected by its permits, thus letting them in a situation of land insecurity.    

Set on making SAG bow, the NGOs intend on turning to international jurisdictions to solve the issue if not done quickly. AngloGold however announced that it plans to pay compensation and resettle residing populations on part of its permit named Area One.

Souha Touré